Typewriting machine



Feb. 4, 1941. H. BEiDERBECKE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 22, 1958 a Sheets-Sheet 1' Z 7 a%gVENTOR AfTORNEY 1941- c. H.- BEIDERBECKE 77 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filgd July 22, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 En-5 I4 2 yENTOR ATTORNEY Fb. 4,1241; c. H. B'ELIDERBECKE 30 6 7 TYPEWRITING MACHINE l iled July 22, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 3 arm Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES TYPEWRITING MACHINE Charles H. Beiderbecke, Lyons, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 22, 1938, Serial No. 220,607

7 Claims.

, This invention relates to improvements in continuous billing machines.

The broad object of the invention is to improve the mechanism disclosed in application Serial No.

127,684 filed February 25, 1937 by C. H. Beiderbecke which matured as Patent No. 2,199,535,

May '7, 1940, and in application Serial No. 128,-

568 filed March 2, 1937. by John L. Petz which application whereby the pressure of the feed rolls upon the forms is relieved until the platen has been completely restored to the writing position.

In both the Beiderbecke and Petz applications, the platen is rotatably mounted on arms which have fixed pivots on the carriage whereby the platen may be swung upwardly and 'rearwardly 01' its normal or writing position to a non-typing position to permit a pack of continuous forms with interleaved carbon sheets wrapped around the platen when in writing position to become stretched fiat for the purpose of effecting a shifting of the carbon sheets to the next set of forms as a preliminary to typing the next set of forms.

In the present application, the platen is somewhat similarly mounted in swinging arms but the pivots for the arms are not fixed and are capable of a shifting movement relative to the carriage and means are provided to compel the platen in its movement to non-typing position to follow an irregular path to permit the platen to assume a position above and only slightly in the rear of its normal or typing position.

In the Petz application, the mechanism which controls the operation of the paper deflector and the feed rolls is dependent upon the restoring movement of one of the platen supporting arms to keep the feed rolls out of engagement with the platen until the platen is completely restored to the typing position. The operating connections to the platen supporting arm have a fixed relationship to the pivot for the platen supporting arm. Therefore, when the platen is mounted in arms which do not have fixed pivots, this relationship is changed and, unless means is provided to compensate for the irregular movement of the pivots, the mechanism controlling the paper defiector andieed rolls will be rendered inoperative.

According to the present invention, the feed roll operating and controlling mechanism has been improved whereby the platen is permitted to follow an irregular path without disturbing the relationship between the parts for operating the feed rolls carried by the platen supporting arms 5 and the relatively fixed parts connected to the feed rolls and paper deflector.

The broad object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for raising the platen which permits the use of the feed roll 10 and paper deflector control mechanism forming the subject matter of the Petz application.

An object is to provide a platen lifting and feed roll controlling mechanism which is very easy to operate and requires little effort on the 15 part of the operator to restore the platen to non-typing position and restore it to typing position. 1

Another object is to provide means for adjusting certain parts of the mechanism which con- 20 trols the movement of the platen in order to equalize the movement of the platen to and from its typing position and to compensate for inaccuracies of manufacture.

Another object is to provide a novel means for 2 readily detaching the platen from its supporting arms whereby the platen may be quickly replaced by a platen of diilerent size or type whenevernecessary.

Further objects of the instant invention reside 30 in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the em bodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings whether within or without the scope of the appended claims and ir- 35 respective of other specific statements as to the scope of the invention contained herein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end view of a carriage embodying the improvements introduced by the present in- 40 'removably mounting the platen on its supporting arms.

The reference numeral I0 (Figs. 1 and 2) generally designates the carriage which includes end plates ll rigidly joined by a channel shaped l5 which the carriageis movably supported on the I platen is generally designated I8 in Figs. 1 and 3 V23 are keyed together and is rotatably mounted in arms I8 which are pivotally connected by studs 28 to short arms 2I. The latter are pivotally mounted on the extension plate I8 by means of studs 22 united to arms 2i. The studs 22 extend through holes in plates I6 and are flattened slightly to receive oblong holes in arms 23 (Fig. 2) whereby the arms 2I, on opposite sides of the plates I8. Attached to the arms 23 are springs 24 (Figs. 2 and 3) which are anchored to plates 25 on studs 26 whereby the arms 23 and 2i tend to rock forwardly or clockwise in Figs. 1 and 2 so as to tend to press the arms I3 supporting the platen to the right (Fig. 1).

With reference to Fig; 5 which shows a vertical section of the platen and Fig. 3 which shows the left hand end of theplaten as viewed from the rear of the machine, there is secured to the left hand end of the platen a trunnion 21 which has atubular portion 210. extending through the left hand arm I9. Secured to this tubular portion 21a is the usual platen rotating knob 28 by means of which the platen may be rotated by hand. Housed in the bore of the tubular portion 21a is a plunger 29 having secured to its outer end a finger piece 30 by means of which the plunger 28 may be moved inwardly or to the left in Figs. 3 and 5 to release the usual variable spacing clutch. This clutch is designed to couple the main part of the platen I8 to the line spacing ratchet 3| (Figs. 1 and 3) whereby under normal conditions, the platen will be rotated by the line space mechanism. On the right hand side of the machine the tubular portion 21a is replaced by a stub shaft to which is secured a similar platen rotating knob.

The platen is journaled upon the arms I9 by means of sleeves 32 which are circumferentially grooved at 32a to enable the sleeves to be readily grasped by the operator and moved longitudinally of the tubular portion 210. toward the knob 28 (Fig. 5) and of the stub shaft at the other end of the platen. The sleeves 32a have a shouldered portion 3212 which fits in an open ended partly circular slot I9a (Fig. 1) formed in arm I9.- -The open end of the slot is large enough to permit the free passage of the tubular portion 210. and the stub shaft at the opposite end of the platen but is not large enough to permit removal of the shouldered portion 32b except by longitudinal movement outwardly or to the right in Figs. 3 and 5 toward the knobs 28. uch movement of the sleeve 32 is prevented when the platen is in place by plates 33 secured to the sleeves 32 by means of screws 34 (Figs. 3 and 5). Riveted to the plate 33 is a stud 35 which fits loosely in a hole drilled radially of the center of the plunger 29 and designed to maintain the plate 33 parallel with the longitudinal axis of tubular portion 21a. Each plate 33 (Figs. 1 and 5) has two lugs 33a on opposite sides of its left hand end with reference to Figs. 3 and5 and the slots fit the edges of the reduced portion of the slot I9a as shown. in Fig. 1 so as to normally prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve32. Left hand movement of the sleeve 32 is limited to some extent by sleeve 38 (Figs 3 means of a tube 31 (Fig.

latched in normal 38 whereby,

of the latches 33 are released with the initialand 5) which abuts that portion of the trunnion which is secured to the platen I8. This sleeve 36, when'the platen is in normal or typing position, clears the walls of slot Ila.

When it is desired to remove the platen, the screws 34 are loosened with a screw driver sufiiciently to permit the plates 33 to move radially of the plunger 23 and the stub shaft at the other end of the platen far enough for lugs 33a to clear the edges of the arms I3 and then sleeves 32 may be moved outwardly toward the platen rotating knobs 28 to disengage the shouldered portions 32b from arms I3 and permit the platen to be detached from said arms by sliding it rearwardly and downwardly (Fig. 2).

This feature of removability of the platen is a distinct advantage in continuous billing machines as requirements of users of the machine in respect to the number of manifold copies frequently make it necessary to remove the platen and substitute difierent sizes according to the number of manifold copies desired. It is often necessary to substitute a platen having a smaller diameter to accommodate a thicker pack of work sheets with interleaved carbons and vice versa. For ordinary correspondence work and work requiring only a few carbon copies, a standard platen is satisfactory as the feed rolls can yield enough to accommodate the thickness of the pack but where a very large number of carbon copies is required, the paper deflector and feed rolls cannot yield enough to accommodate the thick pack of work sheets and still latch in typing position properly and it is therefore necessary to reduce the size of the platen.

The arms I8 are integrally joined together by 3). The platen is position by means of a pair of latches 38 (Figs. 1 and 2) secured to a rod 39 shown in broken lines in Fig. 3, the rod 33 being pivotally mounted in the arms I3 and extending through the tube 31. The latches 33 are located outside of the arms I9 and engage an offset lug 40a of a latch plate 48' adjustably secured to the end plates II of the carriage. The latch plate 40 has two slots through which pass two bolts 4| by means of which the plates are secured to the end plates II of the carriage. By loosening bolts 4| the latch plates 40 may be adjusted longitudinally to provide the proper latching relationship with latches 38 and also locate the platen I8 in the correct vertical position in relation to the type bars and writing line.

The platen is raised manually from the position of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 2 by means of a hand lever 42 pivoted on the rod 39 between the left hand arm I3 and the left hand latch 38 (see Fig. 3 also). A stud 42a on the lever 42 engages an arm 380 formed in the left hand latch when the lever 42 is raised, both movement of the lever. Further movement of the lever 42 causes the platen to become elevated to the position of Fig.2. Normally, a spring 43 anchored to pins 381) and I9!) on the latches and the arms I9 res ectively, holds the latches in position of Fig. 1. is one for each arm I9, through the pressure of arm 38a on pin 42a, hold the lever 42 against a stop pin I9c on the left hand arm I8 which pin limits clockwise movement of the lever 42.

After the platen has been raised an extent sufficient for the latches 38 to clear the lugs 48a a latch lever 44 becomes effective to hold the latches in disengaged position. The lever 44 is These springs, of which there formed with two arms with the upper arm provided with a bent over lug 44a in the plane of a latch finger 380 formed in the left hand latch 38. The lower arm is bent inwardly and for wardly or to the right in Fig.1 behind the left hand latch 38 and normally rests upon the lug 400. being held against said lug by means of a spring 45 anchored to the pin Nb and to a pin on the upper arm of the latch lever 44. Bearing in mind that the lever 42 initially rotates the latches 38 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. l) to disengage the latches 38 from the lug a before movement of the platen takes place, the subsequent movement of the platen will permit the lever 44 to rock in a clockwise direction relative to the left hand arm l9 whereby lug 44a. assumes a position in front of the latch finger projection 38c thereby holding the latches 38 in their retracted position as in Fig. 2. The lever 44 is so proportioned that when the platen is lowered to the position of Fig. l, the lug 44a will be gradually withdrawn from engagement with the latch finger 380 as the platen approaches the position of Fig. 1 owing to the eventual engagement of the lower arm of lever 44 with the lug 40a.

The object of the construction described above is to relieve the operator of the load which would otherwise be imposed upon her by frictional contact of the lug 48a with the ends of the latches 38. This frictional load would be considerable as it is necessary to provide fairly stifi springs 43 to securely hold the latches 38 in the position of Fig. 1. Without the member 44, dificulty is experienced due to failure of the latches 38 to assume the position of Fig. 1 because before the platen reaches the position of Fig. 1, it ordinarily has to push down the usual paper deflector and feed roll assembly. This load, with the frictional load of latches 38 on lugs 48a, is so great as to require considerable force to latch the platen in normal position.

When the machine is properly adjusted, the lever 44 will not free the latches 38'until the hooked portions thereof are sufficiently below the lug 40a to permit the latches 38 to move to the position of Fig. 1 without wiping over the lower edge of the lug 48a.

Another advantage of this construction is that wear between the latches 38 in the lug 40a is reduced by one-half whereby the platen [8 always takes exactly the same position. Obviously, if the lugs 40a and the latches 33 are subjected to any great amount of wear, the pressure of the paper deflector and feed rolls upon tli'e underside of the platen will progressively lift the platen above the position of Fig. 1 with the result that the platen will in time get out of vertical adjustment and thereby cause misalignment of the typed characters. This also causes the upper parts of the types to print heavier than the lower parts owing to the curvature of the platen. The provision, of lever 44 does not eliminate all of the wear on the lug 40a of the latches 38 but does reduce it by half as there is rubbing action between the lugs 40c and latches 38 only when the platen is released. Thus readjustment of latch plates 40 is not required very frequently.

The latch lever 44 is pivoted upon a stud 46 carried by the left hand arm I9. The right hand arm l9 which is not shown carries -a similar stud are mounted rollers 41 (Figs. 1, 2, and 4). rollers engage the walls of curved slots 48a in slotted plates 48 which are adjustably secured to the outside faces of carriage end plates I I and extension IS. The slots 48a are so shaped that the axis of the platen generates an irregular curve in its upward movement whereby the platen follows the path shown by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 2.

v It is desired that the platen be raised to position almost directly above its normal position. Owing to the fact that. the usual type guide shown in Fig. 1 will obstruct movement of the platen if it follows a strictly vertical path, it is desirable that the platen first move rearwardly and on an upward slant to the left (Figs. 1 and 2) and then vertically.v For this purpose, the cam slots 48a are given the curved shape shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The springs 24 are tensioned sufficiently so as to have a slight'tendency to raise the platen and when properly tensioned are slightly superior to the weight of the platen and the mechanism carried by arms l9 so as to yieldingly hold.

the usual paper deflector and feed roller assembly. Since fairly stiff springs must be provided to actuate the feed rollers into engagement with the platen to securely hold the work sheets against the platen, the force necessary to overcome the spring pressure in restoring the platen is quite strong and requires-considerable effort by the operator. Means are provided to cause the paper deflector and feed roller assembly to be depressed below normal position in advance of the platen. This means consists of a lever system operated by one of the platensupporting arms for actuating the paper deflector and feed roller assembly. The lever system is so arranged as to require only a small force exerted over a relatively much longer period during the descent of the platen than the period required to disengage the platen from the feed roller and paper deflector assembly during the ascent of the platen. The mechanical advantage of this lever system is one of force with a high leverage ratio during the descent of the platen whereby a large movement of the platen and the expenditure of little force is required to restore the paper deflector and feed roller assembly to normal position.

Pivoted on the stud 46 carried by the left hand arm l9 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is a lever 49 having a pin 49a overlying the arm 38a on the left hand latch 38. The lever 49 is normally held in the position of Fig. 1, with the pin 49a resting upon the arm 38a and lever 42, by a spring 50 anchored to pins carried by the levers l9 and 49, respectively. It is apparent that the initial movement of lever 42 in rocking the latches 38 will also rock the lever 49 in a counterclockwise direction relative to arm 19 from the position of Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2. Pivotally mounted on a stud 5| carried by arm I9 is an arm 52 having a pin 52min the plane of the lower end of lever 49. A spring 53' connected to pins carried by the lever 49 and arm 52, respectively, tends to urge the pin 52a into contact with the lever 49 whereby, when the lever 49 is rocked to the position of Fig. 2, the arm 52 tends to follow the movement of said lever. The right hand edge of the arm 52 is formed as an arc of a circle and is in theplane of a lug 54a formed in p i arm 54.secured to a cross shaft 55 which is journaled in the carriage end plates II. The

shaft 55 extends the full length of the carriage between the end plates H and has secured to it an arm 56. This arm is located at substantially the mid-point of the shaft 55 and universally rockably supports the paper defiector'51 which is a partly cylindrical sheet metal plate on which are mounted the front pressure rollers 58 and the rear pressure rollers 59.

Screwed into a .hole in the channel shaped member l2 at substantially the middle of the carriage and underneath the end of the arm 56 is a sleeve 60 having a shoulder for seating the lower end of the coil spring 6|. The upper end of the coil spring is seated on a shoulder formed in a plunger 62 having a reduced portion at its upper end loosely projecting into a hole in the end of the arm 56. The paper deflector 51 is universally pivotally mounted near its mid-point on the arm 56 and the spring 6|, acting on the plunger 62, tends to press the paper deflector 51 and pressure rollers 58, 59 upwardly against the underside of the platen to cooperate therewith to feed work sheets.

When the platen is raised, the spring 6| exerting pressure on the arm 56, causes the pressure rollers and paper deflector to follow the platen a limited extent. The preliminary movement of the lever 42 to disengage the latches 38 results in moving the lever 49 to the position of Fig. 2. This brings the arm 52 into contact with the lug 54a which prevents further movement of the arm 52 but lever 49 can move a further extent owing to the fact that such lever and arm are interconnected by the spring 53. Thus, the first movement of the lever 42 places the spring 53 under greater tension. As the platen rises to non-typing position in consequence of further movement of the lever 42 after releasing the latches 38, the circular edge of arm 52 wipes over the lug 54a. Before the platen reaches the position of Fig. 2, however, the end of arm 52 rides off of the lug 54a and snaps to the position of Fig. 2 with the pin 52a again engaging'lthe lower end of lever 49.

Referring now to Fig. 2, as the platen descends to typing position, the lower end of arm 52 swings in a short are to assume a position over the lug 54a. With continued downward movement of the platen to its typing position, the arm 52, pressing on the top of the lug 54a, rocks the lever 54 downwardly or counterclockwise and thereby causes the paper deflector 51 and the feed rollers 58, 59 carried thereby to become lowered in advance of the platen. The parts are so proportioned that when the platen is a little below its latching position, the end of arm 52 rides off the lug 54a and permits the spring 6| to rock the arm 54 back to the position of Fig. 1.

The arm 52 is made of such length that the pressure rollers 58, 59 are moved a little below their normal position before arm 54 is released whereby, even with athick pack of forms, the pressure rollers 58, 59 do'not actually press the paper in contact with the platen until the platen is in its normal position. Thus, during the descent of the platen, there is little resistance offered to its movement and the restoring movement is very easy and positive.

The rear or left hand end (Figs. 1 and 2-) of the arm 54 has an arcuate slot through which projects a stud 63. Rotatably mounted on the stud 63 is a releaselever 64 having a notch 64a in which is located a roller carried by a stud 54b on the arm 54. The lever 64, adjacent the notch 64a, is formed as a cam 64b. When the release lever 64 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. l) the cam 64b, coacting with the roller on the stud 54b, depresses the arm 54 and thereby disengages the pressure rollers 58, 59 from the platen to permit work sheets wrapped around the platen to be straightened. Counterclockwise movement of the lever 64 is limited by a projecting part 640 of the lever 64 by engagement with the roller and the stud 54b. Adjacent the projection 640 the edge of the lever 64 is somewhat flattened in a plane at right angles to a line drawn through the center of stud 63 whereby the lever 64 is yieldingly held in displaced position with no tendency to rotate in either direction. Secured to the outer end of the stud 63 is a spring plate 65 having a depressed portion 65a embossed thereon and engaging a shallow depression in the side of lever 64 to yleldingly hold said lever in the position of Fig. 1 when the pressure rollers are released.

Clockwise movement of lever 64 in the position of Fig. 1 is prevented by the shape of the notch 64a which is such as to cause the lever 64 to press on the roller carried by stud 54b in a direction radial of shaft 55. Thus, the roller carried by lever 54 operates as a limit stop for lever 64. When the platen is being lowered from the position of Fig. 2, the lever 64 will be held against clockwise movement until the arm 52 has engaged lug 54a and moved the lever 54 downwardly far enough for the roller carried by stud 54b to clear the notch 64a in the lever 64. Unless means is provided to prevent such action, it might be possible to accidentally displace the lever 64 in a clockwise direction during the time that the arm 54 is descending. Owing to the shape of the lever 64, if such action occurred, said lever might prevent the full restoration of the arm 54 to the position of Fig. l. The means to prevent the lever 64 from being moved in a clockwise direction from the position of Fig. 1 while the arm 54 is descending consists of a lug 540 formed in the arm 54. It is apparent in Fig. 1 that after the arm 54 has moved downwardiy a small amount, the lug 540 will be positioned in the plane of the lever 64 and prevent said lever from being rocked in a clockwise direction while the lever '54 is depressed below its normal position. It would of course be possible to place a stop pin on the carriage end plate H in the plane of a lever 64 but this would entail extra parts and an additional assembly operation besides requiring that a hole be drilled in the end plate II. By forming the lug 540 on the arm 54 the cost of the mechanism is very materially reduced.

The arm 54 is not rigidly connected to the shaft 55 but is adjustably attached thereto by means including a screw stud 55a. Secured on the shaft 55 adjacent the arm 54 is an arm 66 having an arcuate slot through which passes a bolt 66a .by means of which the arm 54 is adjustably clamped to the arm 66. This provides a means of adjusting the extent to which the feed rollers 58, 59 are depressed during the return stroke of the platen.

As was explained above, means is provided to adjust the platen horizontally at right angles to its longitudinal axis. This adjusting means is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and consists of a rneans for adjustably moving each plate 46 in a more or less horizontal direction relative to the end plates H and extension plates l6 of the carriage. Each plate 48 is attached to the end plate II by means of a fixed bolt 61 and to the extension plate I! by means of a bolt 68. The plates 48 are slotted as indicated by reference numeral 48b in Fig. 2 while the extension plates ii are slotted at lGa (Fig. 4). The bolt 81 closely fits the holes in the plates ll, l6 and loosely, slidably fits slot 48b through which it passes. Similarly, the bolt 68 closely fits the hole in plate 48 and slidably fits slot ISa. Two brackets 69, Ill having holes closely fitting the bolts 61, 88, respectively have their bent-over portions provided with threaded holes confronting each other. The threaded hole in bracket 69 is provided with a right hand thread while the hole' in bracket 10 is provided with a left hand thread. Into these holes is screwed a double ended hexagonal stud H having right and left hand threads. By. loosening the bolts- 61, 68 and turning the stud 1| in one direction or the other, the plates 48 may be adjusted longitudinally of a line drawn through the centers of the bolts 61, 68. Owing to the inaccessibility of the head of the bolt 61 the plates 48 are slotted as indicated by reference numeral 480 in Figs. 2 and 3 whereby the head of the bolt 61 is capable of a sliding movement in the slot 12 but is prevented from turning.

The reference numeral 13 (Figs. 1 and 2') designates the usual carriage release lever 01 which there is one at each end of the carriage. This lever is pivoted on the stud 26 and engages a bail l4 pivoted in the plates II. The bail l4 actuates the escapement dog release lever 15 pivoted on the top of-the rear rail IS. The reference numeral 16 designates the usual line space control lever by means of which the line space mechanism may be set to rotate the platen, one, two or three spaces. Pivotally mounted upon shaft 55, as best shown in Fig. 2, is a bail consisting of arms 11 and a tie rod 18 attached to the arms 11 by means of screws 19. The rear or left hand side of the rod 18 has a slot in which is secured a tearing knife 80 which confronts the platen. The rod 18 also slidably supports two form guides 8| which consist of upstanding plates mounted on hubs having thumb screws 82 by means of which the form' guides may be adjustably secured along the rod 18. The hubs are slotted to slidably accommodate the knife 80 which prevents rotation of the form guides on the rod I8.

While there has been shown and describedand pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single embodiment it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It. is the intention, therefore, to be limited only.

as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In a continuous billing machineythe combination with the carriage and the platen, of a pair of platen supporting arms, a pair of links and a single operating means for first releasing tion.

on the carriage and having cam slots embracing the latching means and thereafter moving the platen to nontyping position.

2. In a continuous billing machine having an obstruction, the combination with the carriage;

. of a platen, a pair of platen supporting arms, 5

means to movably pivotally mount one end of: each arm on the carriage, means to rotatably mount the platen on the other end of said arms; and a pair of guide plates cooperating with said arms, said guide plates causing theplaten to travel rearwardly and upwardly from a typing to a non-typing position over the typing position, said guide plates remaining fixed in relation to the carriage while the platen is moving to the non-typing position, said guide plates causing the platen to take a path around said obstruction.

3. In a continuous billing machine having an obstruction, the combination with the carriage, a platen, a pair of platen supporting arms, a movable pivotal mounting for one end of each arm, means to rotatably mount the platen in the other ends of said arms, and means fixed to the carriage and slidably cooperating with the ends of the arms mounting the platen to cause said platen supporting ends of the platen to move rearwardly and upwardly of the carriage to carry the platen around said obstruction from a typing to a non-typing position over the typing posi- 4. In a continuous billing machine having an obstruction, the combination with the carriage, a platen, a pair of platen supporting arms, yielding mounting for said arms, means to rotatably mount the platen on said arms; and guide elements comprising a guide plate and a roller engaging said plate associated with each arm for guiding the platen supporting arms, one of said cooperating elements being immovable relative to the carriage, said guide plates being so shaped the platen is caused to move in a non-linear path from a typing to a. non-typing position substantially directly over the typing position to avoid said obstruction.

5. In a continuous billing machine, the combination with the carriage, of a platen, a pair of platen supporting arms, a pair of links each pivotally supporting one of said arms at one end and pivotally mounted on the carriage at the other end, means to rotatably support the platen in the ends of said arms opposite to the pivots to said links, means to latch the platen in a typing position, means comprising rollers mounted on said arms and a pair of guide plates mounted means to support one end of each arm on the carriage for translatory pivotal movement, means to rotatably mount the platen on the other ends of said arms; a pair of guide plates cooperating with said arms, said guide plates forcing the platen to travel first rearwardly and upwardly from a typing to a non-typing position above the typing position to avoid said obstruction, said guide plates being slidably mounted on the car- 75 riage to move in a plane at right angles to the axis of the platen, means to adjustably slide said guide plates, and means to secure the guide plates in adjusted position.

7. In a machine having a carriage, a platen, and a type guide located in front of the platen and partially overhanging the platen; the combination of a platen supporting frame, means located at the rear of the carriage to pivotally and movably support the rear end of the frame, and means including an element rigidly mounted in the carriage for guiding said frame initially to swing upwardly and. rearwardly until the platen clears'the type guide and thereafter directly upwardly to bring the platen to a nontyping position substantially directly over the initial or typing position.

CHARLES H. BEIDERBECKE. 

